


To Mend These Broken Bonds

by Violet_Witch



Series: Everbody lies in the cave [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Arcade, Banter, Brothers, Fluff, Gen, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Some angst, Trying to be a family, its literally just robin bonding time, kon is only in the begining, light cursing, they play video games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-05 02:55:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17910650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Witch/pseuds/Violet_Witch
Summary: Tim Drake would like to think he's learned a thing or too about familial relationships during his 18 years of life. For example, he's learned that ex-Robins can be just as stubborn as the Bat himself and sometimes it takes everything short of blackmail for them to admit maybe- justmaybe,they might like each other. He's also learned that love alone isn't enough to make a relationship work. Sometimes it takes blood sweat and tears to mend the bonds between brothers.He just hopes the blood's not his.Or the one where four boys who were all raised by the same emotionally constipated mentor do their best to be brothers, even though they have to work for it. CAN BE READ STANDALONE





	To Mend These Broken Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is the result of a comment ShadowCat97 left on my TimKon fic Because Of You that suggested Dick was the undisputed Just Dance champ in response to my Tim is a Guitar Hero master headcanon and because I have no chill, this fic happened.
> 
> If you’re reading this stand alone (totally fine), Tim is Stray in this instead of Red Robin. Just accept it, it’s not plot relevant, but it does come up.

“I have an idea!”

Officially the single worst phrase in the english language. Although it was possible Kon was biased because it was being yelled at him when he was supposed to be having alone time with Tim, but he wasn’t about to admit that.

Said boyfriend and owner of the couch they had been cuddling on, had jumped to his feet, pulling a bo staff from seemingly nowhere the moment someone had thrown open the door. Kon couldn’t quite reconcile the warrior in front of him with the soft boy who had been sleeping on Kon’s chest just a moment ago, but he’d gotten used to that feeling of dissonance when it came to the Bats.

Kon’s eyes dragged slowly across Tim’s back, taking in the miles of coiled muscle beneath a threadbare shirt. In the back of his mind he knew he should be worried about the intruder, but Tim clearly had it in hand and Kon was invulnerable so it was hard to care when he had the option to ogle Tim instead.

“What the actual fuck Dick?”

Kon looked past his boyfriend only to be met with the sight of Tim's oldest brother. Suddenly Kon really wished he was wearing a shirt, but it wasn’t like Dick didn’t see him shirtless all the time. Okay that sounded wrong, even in his head. He waved at Dick weakly more out of shock than any sense of friendliness but Dick didn’t so much as glance at him.

“I was just on patrol-”

“ _In Bludhaven?_ That’s well over an hour from here!”

Kon noted Dick’s wet hair and spared a moment of thanks that he hadn’t come in full Nightwing costume.

“ _Obviously,_ ” Dick rolled his eyes like an hour commute was a totally reasonable distance for a surprise visit out of nowhere. “I was thinking about how you’re apparently all buddy buddy with Jason now-”

“May I repeat, what the fuck?”

“-and how that makes this the perfect opportunity for brotherly bonding!” He finished as if Tim hadn’t interrupted, smiling so wide it was almost convincing. "I heard he's in the area, he's not staying with you is he?" Dick cranes his neck to look around suspiciously like the fucking Red Hood might pop out from behind the TV like _you got me! Guess we might as well go for coffee now huh?_

Tim must have been making a face because Dick suddenly dropped the smile and reassured his brother, “No- Tim I haven’t been gassed.”

“Are you sure? There aren’t any time gaps in your memory? You didn’t happen to open a purple and green wrapped gift? Or stop to smell any exotic flowers?” Now that Tim brought it up, Dick didn't exactly look his best. Sure, he was freshly showered, but the bags under his eyes were darker than Batman’s soul.

Dick pouted. “Really Tim, is this anyway to treat your older brother.”

“You mean the brother who just broke into my apartment with no warning?” And that was the other thing. After one _very_ unfortunate incident involving Bart, their friends always called ahead or at least knocked when visiting. “You’re _lucky_ Jason’s not here or he would have shot you by now.”

“Which is exactly my point!” It was? “My relationship with Jason has been… strained _._  I know that, and I want to fix it.”

Tim sighed, his bo staff snapping closed. “I need coffee to deal with this. Do you want any?”

“That sounds nice actu-”

“I was talking to Kon,” Tim snapped.

Kon tried not to preen.

Still, Dick was pouting again and shooting Kon a glare over Tim’s shoulder that suggested he wanted Kon gone, so the clone figured he could at least make himself scarce while they had their Bat Talk. “Don’t worry about it babe,” he said, finally standing up and kissing his boyfriend on the cheek on his way to the kitchen. “I can make the coffee.”

Tim caught his wrist and dragged him in for a real kiss, wrapping his arms around Kon’s neck and arching his back to press their bodies together. Realistically, Kon knew he was doing it to piss off his brother, but hey, he wasn’t about to complain.

Tim pulled back. “If he tries to kick you out, I’m going to drop him off a building.”

Kon laughed. “You’re grumpy when you’re sleepy.”

“Puh-lease. I’m always grumpy.”

“You really expect me to believe that after last night?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Kon saw Dick’s jaw drop.

“That’s so not fair! Anyone would get excited over a Star Wars marathon.”

“Whatever you say babe,” Kon gave him another quick kiss before walking to the kitchen.

As he was walking away, he heard Dick say, “Well aren’t you two domestic.”

Tim threw him an unimpressed look. “Jealous?”

The following pause was just a little too long and Dick’s heart beat just a little too fast before he evenly replied, “Never.”

Refusing to feel pity for someone who had just interrupted his nap date so rudely, Tim bluntly asked, “Why are you here?”

“I told you,” Dick’s voice was softer, almost gentle, “bro bonding time.”

“I don’t mean to sound… ” Tim paused, fishing around for the right words, but coming up empty handed and opting for directness instead, “heartless, but since when have we done anything as brothers.”

“Tim, I almost died tonight.” The younger’s heartrate shot up. “I almost die every night. We all do. People like us aren’t exactly going to live into happy retirements with years to do nothing but reconcile with the people we love.”

Suddenly Kon felt like he shouldn’t be hearing this. Maybe Dick would have been right to kick him out first.

“Believe me Dick, I know.” Tim’s voice was completely level and that more than anything scared Kon.

“Then you know how important it is to me that I fix my relationship with Jason.”

“... it’s not that simple.”

“I know it’s not, but please, Tim. I _want_ to try. I want us to be a _family _.” Dick’s voice was so pathetic, Kon could almost _see_ him stumbling closer and grabbing Tim’s hands with pleading eyes.__

“And you know I think of you as my brother,” Tim consoled, “but you’re appealing to the wrong ex-robin right now. You should be telling Jason this.”

“You think he’d listen to me? I’m pretty sure he still hates my guts.” There was a pause in which Kon was certain Tim was rallying some sort of argument, but Dick preemptively cut him off. “Don’t even try to tell me he hates you too, I know you wormed your way into some kind of soft spot. I still don’t totally understand how since he was trying to kill you not too long ago, but please Tim. I know you can help me.”

There was a long pause in which the coffee finished and Kon began pouring. Finally, Tim said, “I can talk to him, but that’s all. Ultimately it’s not my approval you need.”

“That’s all I’m asking.”

“Right.” The tension in the room dissipated all at once, only to come back with an awkward edge. “Do you want to… hang around for awhile?”

“I already barged in on you guys, I shouldn’t impose.”

Kon sighed heavily, picking up the mugs and entering the living room. Dick was gravitating towards the door almost reluctantly and Tim was still standing by the couch, looking like a lost puppy.

“I’ll just be… going.”

“I don’t think so, sit your butt down.”

Both Bats looked at him.

“I made coffee and I haven’t seen you in weeks. I know I’m dating your brother, but we are old friends, aren’t we?”

“The guilt card, that’s just rude.” Despite his words, Dick was visibly relaxing, an easier smile returning to his face.

“You bats are so damn repressed it’s the only card I have left.”

Dick glanced at his watch- mostly for show- before nodding slightly. “I’ve got time.”

***

In the end, Tim decided he was going to have to strike very carefully if he was going to persuade Jason to give Dick a chance. Which was why he decided to make his move when Jason was his happiest: right after a successful job.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something, _Stray,_ so either help or fuck off,” Red Hood knocked out another goon, earning himself the reprieve he needed in order to turn and glare pointedly at the alcove Stray was sulking in.

So maybe Tim had chosen to make his presence known in the middle of a fight instead of the end of one. Sue him for wanting some action.

“Only because you asked so nicely.” Tim strode forward, pulling his bo staff from it’s sheath at the small of his back and extending it.

They jumped back into action together, fighting side by side to take down the already diminished number of goons. Jason hated to admit it, but the replac- _but Stray_ was pretty good, and he kind of enjoyed fighting on the same team more than trying to kill him.

He hoped Roy never found out how soft he was getting.

When the last dealer dropped (unconscious, not dead) Jason gave himself a moment to catch his breath before asking, “So what’s wrong? Is the world ending or did someone die?”

Tim pouted, reminding Jason uncomfortably of Selina. “Why does something so bad have to happen for me to visit?”

Jason almost burst out laughing. “People only visit me when they need something,” he said, proud that the bitterness he felt stayed mostly out of his voice.

“Well I enjoy nothing more than being the exception to already established rules,” Tim said. “I’m here to buy you breakfast.”

Jason didn’t believe it for a second, but he really _really_ wanted to. “Uh huh. Do I get to change into civilian clothes first?”

Tim shrugged. “We could totally get free service this way, but suit yourself.”

Twenty minutes later they were sitting down to order pancakes.

Tim filled him in on the most recent gossip in the caped community (discreetly slipping in a few scraps of information about Alfred and the Bats because he knew that Jason was too stubborn to ask for them) and Jason offered a few choice anecdotes about his exploits with the Outlaws. It was surprisingly enjoyable and between the sugary pancakes, the good conversation, and the left over high of a good fight, Jason was in a pretty good mood when Tim finally reached the point of his visit.

“So Dick stopped by my apartment yesturday.” Jason stiffened, but didn’t bolt, instead just grunting. Tim took it as a sign to continue.

“He actually barged in and interrupted my cuddle date,” Tim pouted.

“Is that a scheduled appointment or a euphemism for clone sex?”

Tim’s mouth twitched. “I thought you didn’t like Kon.”

Jason smirked, taking a sip of his water. “Who knows, maybe I’m just gathering information, so I know how much kryptonite to use.”

“Mhm... I think you’re warming up to him.”

“Maybe with a blowtorch.”

Tim laughed and it was oddly gratifying. Almost like he enjoyed Jason’s company.

“You’re not the only one.” Jason shot him a curious look, so Tim elaborated, “My dating Kon has been... _strange_ for Dick.”

Jason hadn’t heard about _that._ “Oh?”

“Yeah. They were on the team together before I ever even entered the picture, so Dick was used to seeing Kon as an equal and me as a... well as just _younger_.  Less expierienced." Tim paused for a moment, letting his expression tell _exactly_ how he felt about _that_. "Kon and I worked through it when we dealt with the other non-human dating issues, but Dick took his damn time coming around." He sighed heavily. "In the end we got in a huge fight about it and I actually managed to get a lot of my chest. Really the fight had been building for ages- ever since he replaced me with Damian actually. I felt like Dick was just stringing me along until it was convenient to get rid of me or something, but we talked and it’s been getting a lot better.”

Jason swallowed thickly.

“Hey on the brightside for you, I finally understand why you tried to kill me.”

Jason appreciated the attempt to lighten the mood, accepting it with a sharp laugh. “I’d say you have more of an excuse than I did. The demon brat is _vicious._ ”

Tim smiled. “Speaking of Damian, aren’t you a little curious? Wouldn’t you like to meet him?”

Jason paused with a pancake bite halfway to his mouth to raise a quizzical eyebrow. “Pretty sure I already have. Several times. None of which were pleasant.”

“No.” Shaking his head, Tim gesticulated with his knife to punctuate the point. “You’ve met Robin. _Not_ Damian.” He tilted his head. “Kinda like how you tried to kill me for being Robin before we-”

“I get it.” He ran his hands over his face and through his hair with a heavy sigh. “So what are you, friends with your replacement now or something?”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be friends with Damian Wayne.” Tim answered honestly. “But I recognize that he’s trying to get better and really it’s not his fault that he took my place as Robin. Yeah, he’s a royal asshole, but all things considered he could be a lot worse.” His eyes narrowed over the top of his cup in a way that told Jason he wasn't going to have _any_ trouble commanding a board room, even if he was going to be the youngst Fortune 500 CEO ever. “If you tried, I think you’d find you have a lot in common with him.”

Jason rolled his eyes, but gave Tim an indulgent little ‘go on’ motion all the same.

“Well for one thing you were both screwed over by Thalia al Ghul. You have anger issues and can be assholes, but you’d both do anything for the people you care about. You both have… _complicated_ relationships with Bruce’s no killing rule. And frankly I think Damian could learn a lot from you.” Jason blinked in surprise, and Tim pressed that advantage. “Sure, Dick’s the gold standard for non-powered capes or whatever, but it’s an unachievable standard. Bruce is even worse and as for me- well, Damian already hates me. But you fight your darker nature everyday and like it or not Jason, you’re winning. I think maybe Damian needs someone who has to fight as hard as he does to stay in the light.”

Having said his piece, Tim dug into his pancakes, figuring he’d bought himself at least a minute while Jason processed that.

“Holy shit Timmy bird, you’re really going for the hard sell this time aren’t you.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“You’ve already played the guilt card, curiosity, my better nature, commiseration, sympathy- hell I’m surprised you haven’t blackmailed me yet.”

Okay he might have to do something about the blackmail reputation he was racking up. “Jay, I wouldn’t blackmail you into this. It’s completely your choice, but you can’t blame me for presenting my case in the most compelling fashion.”

“And what case is that exactly?”

“Just talk to him.”

“Talking has never been my strong suit.”

“Then don’t talk. Just see him. You don’t have to tackle a lifetime of issues in the first five minutes, just let him know that you’re willing to put the effort in. That you want to be a family. ”

“And what if I don’t?” Jason growled, trying almost desperately to pull the conversation back into comfortable territory.

“Then I‘ll go back and tell Dick you said no, but you’ll go home too. To your empty apartment.”

“How did you know-?” Jason started to ask, scowl deepening.

Tim cut him off, “Roy and Kori are out of town, and no. You don’t want to know how I know.”

It was a damn good thing the Red Hood wore a helmet because Tim could pinpoint the exact moment he folded.

“I ain’t doing a heart to heart.”

“Fine. We don’t have hearts anyway.”

“And I get to pick the venue.”

“Not a problem.”

“And I’m only giving you an hour’s notice to show up because I ain’t about to get my ass arrested.”

“Now you’re just being difficult.”

“Also, bring me pie. Alfred’s pie. He’ll know the one.”

“Why didn’t you open with that one?”

Jason shrugged, shovelling the last of his pancakes into his mouth and swishing it down with a gulp of water. “Had to finish strong.” He slipped out of the booth, starting towards the door, but Tim stopped him.

“Say hi to Kori and Roy for me when they get back.”

“Yeah, yeah… and uh, thanks. For the books,” Jason said gruffly.

The books had been a gift- or a bribe, depending on how one looked at it. Jane Austen’s complete works. Tim had thought Jason might want a few books of his own since most of the ones he’d owned before dying were locked in the mausoleum of his old room at Wayne Manor.

Tim just nodded, letting Jason leave without further fuss. If this went terribly and horribly wrong, the odds were 80 20 that Tim would be on Jason’s side, and he needed to get his affairs in order just in case it became his brotherly duty to avoid all things Bat for a couple of weeks in solidarity.

***

“Well at least his sense of humor made it through the pit,” Tim deadpanned, staring up at the gaudy neon sign.

“I was under the impression that Todd was an adult, if an idiotic one. Why would he bring us to such a childish venue?” Damian asked shrilly.

Tim bit back a comment about it being fitting because Damian was only thirteen years old, and instead went with, “I mean if he wanted to avoid feelings and serious conversation, this is certainly one way to do it.”

Dick didn’t say anything- hadn’t said anything since they left the manor in fact.

Clearly neither of his brothers had any intention of taking another step, so Tim rolled his eyes, grumbling about having to do everything himself and stocked forward.

The arcade was on the larger side, dim even in the middle of the day with 80s carpet and flashing lights from the machines. Tim’s eyes were immediately drawn to Jason where he was chatting up the worker at the token counter.

Rolling his eyes when the worker blushed and looked away with a wide smile on her face, Tim checked to make sure his brothers were following him before making his way over to Jason.

“Yo, Jay.”

Jason turned around, smiling down at him almost nervously. “Hey Timmy.”

Tim frowned back. “No offense, but you look look like shit.”

Jason put a hand over his heart, his expression twisting into one of false offense. “You wound me.”

“Oh shut up,” Tim said, leaning closer to inspect the nasty black eye Jason was sporting under a baseball cap. “I literally saw you two days ago, and you looked fine then!”

“Correction, I looked _damn fine._ ” Tim leveled a flat look at him. “What? I’ve been busy since then!” 

Besides the black eye, Jason looked good. He was wearing a worn leather jacket, jeans, and a red t-shirt, but more importantly, there weren’t any obvious weapons on his person and he didn’t smell like alcohol.

“Clearly.”

Jason rolled his eyes, changing the subject. ”Where’s my pie.”

”Always thinking with your stomach,” Tim chided, stepping around Jason to pay for his tokens. “It’s in the car, so you don’t get any if you bolt.”

Jason grumbled, but fell silent when Tim didn’t say anything else. When Tim turned around with a bag full of tokens, Jason was still silent, eyeing his older brother warily from several feet away.

“Are you guys being serious right now?” Tim said in exasperation. “You’re all here, I bought enough tokens to last us hours, and I’m pretty sure I saw a racing game with enough seats for all of us, so just say hi, hug it out, and let’s go!”

Now all three of them were looking at him in shock, so Tim crossed his arms and waited.

“Tt- you are an imbecile Drake.”

Dick and Jason looked away from Tim and instead at each other, their body language was so goddamned scared Tim almost took pity, but they needed to get through this themselves so instead he kept his mouth shut and hoped Damian would do the same.

“L-Little wing.”

Jason frowned. “Goldie.”

“And I thought Bruce was emotionally constipated,” Tim muttered.

“He’d have to have emotions for that,” Jason shot back.

“Tt- good warriors do not need emotion.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “ _Strength comes not from training, but the will to act._ I’m pretty sure ‘the will to act’ stems from emotion, short stack.”

Damian’s mouth fell open. “How do you know that? M-mother said-”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I spent my fair share of time with the League. Bunch of stuck up bastards, but they taught me a thing or two about-”

“Okay,” Tim interrupted, glancing pointedly at the worker. “That’s enough about that.”

Jason winked at the girl. “We’re _really_ into bowling.”

She squeaked, going a rather impressive shade of maroon that made Tim roll his eyes. They’d just gotten there and he was already over the whole 'brotherly bonding' thing. “Let’s just get started.”

He handed out their tokens and walked away, trusting his brothers to figure it out in his absence. He wandered through the isles of games, waiting for something to catch his eye. There were all the usual shooter games, slot games, a Dance Dance Revolution, ski ball, phone apps turned into games, racing games… nothing too original. Or so he thought.

Tim stopped in his tracks when he saw it, smack dab in the middle of the arcade like some sort of town square. Guitar Hero.

He took several steps toward it before stopping himself. He had to remember who he was here with. Was giving Damian his kind of ammunition worth it?

He could always combat future insults by goading Damian into playing with him and wiping the floor with the demon brat. If he beat Damian, the younger would probably never bring it up again and Tim would be safe. On the other hand, playing guitar hero with Damian would totally ruin it.

To rock out or not to rock out, that was the question.

A question that got answered for him when Jason suddenly slung an arm over his shoulders and began guiding him towards the console. “A little birdy told me you might be interested in that one.”

Tim frowned. “What do you mean?”

Jason started inserting his tokens to start the game. “Personally I’m more of a drums kind of guy-” he waved his hand towards the drum set- “so you can take lead guitar. Maybe we can even get Goldie on bass.”

Tim’s frown only deepened. “How did you know I-“

“It’s a funny story really. Remember when you forced me to talk to the clone at your birthday?” Tim nodded slowly. “He told me about your _hidden talent_ in an effort to convince me not to kill him. _”_

Maybe trying to get Jason and Kon to be friends was more detrimental to Tim’s health than he’d previously realized. Whatever, there wasn’t anything he could do about it now, and Jason was already passing him the guitar.

Tim adjusted the strap in a daze as Jason settled down on the drum seat, twirling the sticks between his fingers.

Jason smirked at him. “I’ll pick the first song, then we can switch back and forth?”

Tim grunted his assent only to hear the opening chords of _Kryptonite_ play.

He rolled his eyes and shot Jason a scathing look that only made the other laugh before launching into the notes of the song. To his surprise, Jason actually wasn’t too bad on the drums.

“You know,” Tim said conversationally, “Damian can play the violin and Dick can sing. We could totally start a band.”

“Oh that would just go _great._ ” Jason said sarcastically.

“I don’t know. Bands like Queen made some of their best music when fighting,” Dick pointed out, strolling into their area of the arcade with hands in his pockets.

Jason missed the next three notes.

“True, but the Beatles just broke up.”

“Not before being one of the most iconic bands in history.”

“More of an AC DC fan myself.”

Dick laughed. “You always were.”

Tim snuck a glance at Jason and was pleased to see a small fond smile on his lips.

“Especially _Highway To Hell_.”

If he’d had a free hand, Tim would have facepalmed, but as it was, he satisfied himself with a particularly heavy sigh and caved to the inevitability of Jason’s dark humor. “I would have figured it’d be _Back In Black_.”

“I'm offended that you would talk about my ressurection like that.”

“You started it.”

Dick watched their easy exchange with a heavy mix of surprise, fondness, and longing, that made the back of Tim’s neck prickle.

The song ended and Tim decided to pay Jason back for the stab at Kon by picking _Dancing With Myself_.

“Seriously?”

“Yup.”

Dick smirked. “If the way you were flirting with that girl is any indication, you _could_ score a date pretty easily.”

“So could you, and yet here we are.” Jason replied easily.

“In an arcade?”

Tim was starting to notice that Jason had three laughs: a deep bark of joy, a derisive snort, and a sound like he’d been punched in the gut when a joke caught him by surprise. This one was definitely the third one, but he recovered quickly enough. “Yup. Two attractive twenty somethings in an arcade. We’re basically a nerd’s wet dream.”

“Speaking as a nerd, you’re not,” Tim said flatly.

“You wound my pride Timmy.”

“Out of morbid curiosity,” Dick asked. “What would constitute a nerd wet dream?”

“I am offended that you expect me to make a generalization like that.”

“Okay, different question.” Jason smirked. “What’s _your_ nerd wet dream?”

Tim didn’t miss a beat. “Have you _seen_ Kon? I’m living it.”

Dick’s nose scrunched up. “Gross. Please stop.”

“Yeah Timmy, don’t ruin Goldie’s image of you as a paragon of _propriety_. Can’t let ‘im know you’re having crazy wild clone se-”

Dick cut him off, “Okay! Your turn to pick the song.”

Jason laughed as he picked _Under Pressure._ “Cuz Queen.”

“That’s gay,” Tim responded automatically.

“Which would be the point.” Jason winked at him.

“Speaking of pointy things,” Jason choked on air, but Tim plowed on, “where’s the demon brat?”

Jason groaned. “Why would you get me all excited then pull a boner killer like that? It’s just cruel.”

“Had to get you back for that propriety comment.”

“You know what?” Dick interjected loudly. “I’ll go find him.”

It was oddly gratifying to watch Dick leave.

Jason and Tim shared a look before they both burst out laughing.

“I see Goldie’s still got that double standard.”

Tim made an inquisitive sound.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed by now. The girls, the guys, the one night stands, the weirdly friendly exes, and yet he has a way of viewing his younger brothers as so _pure_.”

Tim decided not to point out that Jason had just indirectly reffered to himself as Dick’s brother. “I bet that got under your skin?”

“Are you kidding me? I was a crime ally brat with a dead mom and a criminal dad who spent his nights in leather fighting drug lords. It drove me fucking insane.”

“Well, you’re an adult now. Pretty sure you can fuck whoever you want and Dick won’t say anything.”

“The day Goldie has nothing to say will be the day hell freezes over.”

Tim hummed. “That can be arranged.”

Jason missed a note. “And how the fuck would you do that Timmy?”

Tim thought about it a minute before responding, “Midnighter.”

“Midnighter-?” Jason cut himself off, “You know what, that doesn’t even surprise me.”

“I know right. He actually fought his way through it to save Apollo.”

Jason whistled. “Shit man.”

Tim nodded. “Relationship goals.”

_Under Pressure_ ended and Tim agonized over his choice for a few moments before settling on _Sympathy For The Devil,_ staring Jason down as he chose it.

“I’m not sure if I should be touched or offended by your implications.”

“Let’s call it flattered and move on.”

Tim actually rather liked this song, letting the conversation die in favor of murmuring along to the lyrics.

When the song ended, neither of them moved to put in more tokens.

“Well, you got through the worst part.”

Jason grunted. “What do you mean?”

“The awkward as fuck hellos.”

“There aren’t exactly scripts for these types of things!” Jason pointed out with a huff. “And at least I didn’t shoot him, shouldn’t that be considered a win?”

“Jay, you can’t bluff with me. You don’t even have a gun on you and you haven’t had pit rage in weeks.”

Jason shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like being vulnerable, and somehow the soft understanding in Tim’s voice made him feel like he was losing control of the conversation. “I don’t need pit rage to shoot Goldie,” he all but growled.

“Whatever you say.” Jason was so full of bullshit, it amazed Tim sometimes. “C’mon,” he said, pulling the guitar over his head and setting it on the stand.

“Where are we going?”

“Dick’s been looking for Damian for way too long. We’re going to go find them.” Tim stood up and stretched, his back popping satisfyingly as he did so.

“They aren’t exactly going to get into trouble in an arcade,” the older man griped, but he stood all the same, following Tim as he wandered further into the arcade.

Tim rolled his eyes. “It’s not the trouble they’ll get into, it’s the hilarious shit Damian can convince Dick to do.”

“Now _that,_ is intriguing.”

Humming in agreement, Tim listened until he heard Dick’s laugh floating towards them from a dancing game.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Jason murmured, just loud enough for Tim to hear as Dick and Damian finally came into sight.

Were he less distracted by the sight before him, Tim might have commented on Jason using a dime store villain one liner, but oh what a sight it was.

Dick and Damian were playing face off style, both focusing intently on the screen as their feet moved beneath them. Damian danced with the same rigid form and stiff posture he did everything with, but Dick was smiling, one move flowing seamlessly into the next. His movements were like poetry in motion, hips and arms moving with the beat as much as his feet. It was… mesmerising.

Tim tore his eyes away from Dick to glance at the screen and saw his score was perfect. He wasn’t sure why he bothered to be surprised anymore.

When the song ended, Damian grunted in frustration, his brow furrowing just like it did whenever he spared with Cass. “Again,” he ordered.

Dick’s smile became a little more strained. “Are you sure Dames? We can take a break.”

“No. I am classically trained in forms of traditional dance from cultures all around the world, I will not be bested by this… _game._ ” Damian shot the screen a dirty look that was almost as comical as it was threatening.

“Look,” Dick appealed, “arcade games like this weren’t built for someone with classical training. They’re built for pattern recognition and free style. Let the beat flow through you type stuff.”

Damian’s frown only deepened. “I have superb pattern recognition.”

“No Damian that’s not-” Dick sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not just general patterns, it’s… knowing the songs, knowing popular dance moves, anticipating what comes next by knowing what _always_ comes after a move like that.”

“So I need more experience,” Damian summarized.

“Exactly! There’s no replacement for growing up doing this kind of thing.”

Before Damian could continue the argument, Jason cut in, “Is that so Dickie-bird?”

Dick started, spinning around at the same time Damian’s head turned, the two motions comically in sync.

Jason smirked.

“How long have you been-?”

“Not long,” Tim assured. “But we don’t mind waiting if Damian really wants a rematch.”

“Exactly,” Damian agreed smuggly. “We shall go again. One last time.”

Dick glanced between his brothers uncertainty, eyes flicking from Tim’s reassuring smile to Jason’s smirk to the determined set of Damian’s jaw until he was absolutely certain there was no getting out of this. “Fine,” he groaned childishly.

A couple seconds later he was dancing his ass off to _Bad Romance_ by Lady Gaga. It took all of Tim’s self control not to make a joke about Dick and redheads.

Watching Dick dance was like watching kids bop and the royal ballet all at once, an impossible mix of cheese and grace. Tim couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, unrepentant and unguarded the way an eighteen year old’s smile should be. He'd found himself smiling like that a lot more since he started dating Kon.

He turned to share the good humor with Jason, maybe exchange knowing looks, but Jason wasn’t smiling. His brow was furrowed and his mouth just slightly agape. Whatever he was seeing, it wasn’t Dick and Damian on a Dance Dance Revolution machine.

“Jay?” Tim asked uncertainty. “You alright?”

Jason blinked, closing his mouth and forcing himself to swallow. When he responded, his voice came out an octave too low and even hoarser than normal. “I’m good.”

Tim didn’t buy it for a second, but he had the tact not to say anything. Jason would speak when he was ready.

Which turned out to be one verse later. “You know everyone seems to forget that Dickie hated me.” Whatever Tim had been expecting, that wasn’t it. “I was the original replacement and he was the original pissed of ex-Robin, he just handled it better than I did with you. I guess not taking a swim in the Lazarus Pit helped some, but he’s always been more self aware than me. I think it was easier for him to realize he was mad at Bruce and just projecting on me.”

Tim thought about all the parallels between his relationship with Jason and Jason’s relationship with Dick, wondering if Jason would mourn him like Dick mourned Jason. In the same vein, did Jason even know the hell Dick had gone through when he died? Did he know about the nights Dick had slept on the ground before Jason’s memorial case? Or the hours spent weeping silently in front of the closed and locked door to Jason’s room in the Manor? Or all the times Dick had called Tim Jason in those early days? All the times Tim hadn’t bothered to correct him because Bruce did the same thing?

“Dick’s a better man than me though. He got over it and treated me like a brother instead of a usurper. He accepted me as I was and unlike Bruce, he never tried to change me.” Jason sighed crossing his arms as if to protect himself from the weight of his own words. “He used to dance you know. Whenever he could. On patrol when crime was slow, in the kitchen, in his room when we were hanging out, in his apartment when I visited- hell I even walked in on him dancing to Circus by Britney Spears one time. He kinda made it his life’s goal to get me to dance with him, but I died before he ever got the chance.”

Jason’s eyes were glassy and more blue than Tim had ever seen them, but his mouth formed a hard line. He hated showing weakness, but this wasn’t weakness and suddenly Tim desperately needed Jason to know he wasn’t alone.

“Dick hasn’t danced since you died.” Jason blinked like he’d forgotten Tim was there, looking at the younger in surprise, but Tim plowed on, “I know you forget sometimes so I’m going to tell you: it can seem like your life before is gone- like it happened to someone else all together- but you’re the same person. Sure, you’ve changed a lot since then, but we all have. Dick still loves you and if you’d just let him, he would be that brother to you again. He _wants_ to be.”

“But Tim, he doesn’t.” Jason’s expression was pained and raw, but Tim refused to look away first. “Dick wants his little brother back and that’s not me anymore. He wants to change me back into who I was and I just can’t. I can’t go back and I can’t deal with the pain of disappointing him again. Not like that.” Jason finally looked away. “I’m tainted goods.”

So that was it. Jason wasn’t angry, he was scared. In all honesty, angry would have been easier for Tim to deal with.

Tim sighed, letting silence fall. Dick and Damian were still dancing, but watching them didn’t have the same appeal it had a moment ago.

Finally Tim said, “Has Dick actually told you any of that? Has he done anything at all that explicitly states he wants you to change?”

Jason snorted. “Besides chasing me across rooftops begging me to stop killing?”

Tim offered him a quick smile before countering, “But you have stopped killing, so that seems like a moot point.”

Apparently Jason didn’t have a response to that because he fell silent. They watched the rest of the dance before Tim finally spoke again. “Just… talk to him. If not to day, then eventually.” He wasn’t sure when he’d become the Bat family liaison, but it wasn’t like anyone else was qualified to deal with the shit show of their lives and interpersonal relationships.

Jason grunted non commitly before clapping loudly and plastering a grin on his face that was almost convincing. “Sweet moves Goldie. Was dancing a prerequisite to your mullet, or did the mullet naturally occur when you started dancing?”

Dick’s finger self consciously brushed his hair. “It was right after the nineties! Everyone had a mullet.”

“That is _so_ not an excuse.“

“Yeah, yeah whatever,” Dick grumbled, stepping off the platform. Damian followed him in considerably worse spirits. “What should we do next?”

“We could always play for tickets,” Tim suggested. “Maybe even win some prizes before we go.”

Damian gazed thoughtfully at the prize counter, declaring, “Such an idea has merit. I shall make the stuffed tiger mine. It is a noble animal, and belongs in a noble household.”

“Aren’t you rich?” Jason pointed out. “Wouldn’t it be 100 times easier to find the tiger online and just buy it?”

“Tt. I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand the pride of winning a prize on one’s own merits, _Todd,_ ” Damian responded derisively.

Jason whistled. “Well aren’t you the kind of bourgeoisie that will be eaten first in the revolution.”

Dick gaped, too shocked to even come to his brother’s defense.

“I only meant- not because you’re _poor-_ ” Jason’s eyebrows rose steadily higher- “I was insulting your lack of skill and hard work, not-”

“Okay, okay kid, I get you. You can make it up to me by joining team Give Bruce Shit.”

It was honestly quite amusing to see Damian so flustered. “I could never-!”

Jason shook his head. “ _Relax._ I’m not asking you to join the dark side or anything, just like, make him tip his waiters by paying of their college debts or something.”

Damian pursed his lips, mulling over the request for several moments before finally answering, “Such a mission seems honorable considering father’s considerable wealth.”

Jason’s face lit up. “Yes! Another young recrute!” He held his hand up for a fist bump which Damian suspiciously pounded, blushing slightly at such explicit approval.

Shaking his head with a small smile and graciously not mentioning Jason’s own considerable wealth as a part time crime lord, Tim changed the subject. “I know all the best games to scam tickets. I can take Damian to go play them.”

Damian's lip curled. “Do not speak about me as if I am a _child_ to be babysat.”

Tim almost groaned. Why couldn’t the demon brat just make this one thing easy for him? “I really think we should go together Damian,” he said, pointedly staring his brother down, but Damian remained unaware, only frowning in response.

Apparently they hadn’t reached the successful nonverbal communication stage of their relationship yet. Tim was just going to have to be blunt. “We can make it a competition. Youngest v oldest.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Thank god for Dick’s complete obliviousness to other people’s discomfort.

Tim didn’t take his eyes of Damian, cocking his head to the side and willing Damian to take a hint.

In the end Damian got it, but only after Jason had noticed and elbowed Tim in the ribs almost hard enough to bruise. “We shall reign victorious over you with our superior strategy and gaming skills,” he said with a decisive nod.

“You’re on!”

Tim took that as his cue to steer Damian away, pointedly ignoring Jason’s almost pleading gaze on his back as he did so.

At least Damian had the decency to wait until they were out of earshot before snapping, “What are you doing Drake.”

“Giving them space,” Tim answered shortly still walking.

Damian stopped short, forcing Tim to do the same. “Why?”

“Because they need to work out their shit and they aren’t about to do it in front of us.”

Damian’s frown only deepened. “Todd and Grayson are not compatible in personality, humor, morals, or circumstance, why would they feel the need to, as you put it, ‘work out their shit’.”

Tim could no longer keep the annoyance out of his voice. “Because they’re brothers. Dick loves Jason and no matter how much he’ll deny it, Jason misses Dick- _not that you’d understand that._ ”

“Do you think me incapable of love, Drake?” Damian’s expression was hard, just brushing angry, but his voice betrayed something like hurt.

It hadn’t occured to Tim for even a moment that Damian actually cared about what he thought, but Damian had been trying and it was possible that Tim’s opinions of Damian’s emotional state were outdated.

Sighing heavily, Tim found himself suddenly unable to meet Damian’s eye. “I shouldn't have said it like that. I just meant that you didn’t know them before Jason died, so you never saw them as brothers. Just when Jason was the enemy.”

It was hardly a convincing lie, but it was as close to an apology as Tim could get.

Damian accepted it the only way he knew how, ignoring Tim’s obvious evasion of the original question. “You didn’t know them either.”

“True,” Tim acknowledged with a shrug. “But I saw them all the time at galas and on patrol.”

“Patrol? You were just a civilian when Todd was Robin.”

“Bruce didn’t tell you?” Damian’s brow was furrowing with annoyance again. “Nevermind. Of course he didn’t, he’s Bruce. I used to follow around Robin and Batman- well technically I waited along their patrol route with a camera, but either way, every time I saw Nightwing and Robin patrol together they were always bantering and laughing.” It was a bittersweet memory. Too much had happened for it to be completely happy.

“Why did father not stop you?”

Tim couldn’t help but smile smugly. “Batman didn’t know. Not until I told him a few weeks ago.”

“How could you possibly trail father without his knowledge?” Damian looked like he was fighting tooth and nail to remain indifferent.

“I’m just that good.”

“That’s… that’s almost impressive,” Damian finally admitted grudgingly.

“And that was almost a compliment.”

“Don’t let it go to your already over inflated ego, Drake,” the younger snapped.

“And we’re back to our regularly scheduled animosity.”

There was a moment of silence that felt remarkably lighter than their usual silences before Damian asked, “Still, what makes you so sure Todd and Grayson can work out their differences?”

“Trust me. When it comes to family, Dick will do whatever it takes.” His voice softened as he continued, “You should know that better than anyone.”

Damian looked away, trying to keep the emotions he was clearly feeling from his voice. “Grayson can be very bull-headed concerning matters of the heart.”

“Exactly. Batman and Robin may be the Dynamic Duo, but Dick and Jason were brothers. That’s the kind of relationship people like you and me can only imagine. They may never get that back, but they won’t stop trying.”

“People like you and me… ” Damian repeated flatly.

Tim shrugged. “Emotionally underdeveloped people who didn’t have a family before Robin? I guess Jason qualifies too, but he’s always had a big enough heart to make up for it.”

“I had mother,” Damian said quietly.

There was a very good reason that Tim wasn’t known for his emotional tact, and this was it. “Right.” His tone did nothing to hide the dawning realization that he’d fucked up. “Uh, just me then I guess.”

This time the silence was awkward. Very awkward.

Was this what it was always going to be like between the two of them? Awkward dissonance? Tim had never expected them to develop a brotherly relationship- hell, he considered himself lucky that they weren’t trying to kill each other anymore- but Bat Family potlucks were going to get pretty uncomfortable if the two of them couldn’t do better than mutual avoidance.

But even if he wanted to, Tim didn’t know how to bridge the gap. He was beginning to understand Damian on some level, and he’d like to think that at least was mutual, but they didn’t have anything in common. Damian might as well be an alien for how distant he seemed to Tim.

That was a really bad analogy considering Tim’s boyfriend was part alien.

In a shocking turn of events, Damian was the one to break the silence. “Considering how incompetent you are, it is my duty as the Wayne heir to ensure you do not embarrass father’s legacy.”

“Wow, thanks, how nice of you to say.”

“So if you need assistance, I can help on your new patrol route.”

Tim opened his mouth to make another sarcastic remark before snapping it closed again. Had Damian just offered to patrol with him? Alone? Tim swallowed. “Uh, yeah. Okay.”

“Then it’s decided,” Damian declared. “In the meantime, we shall crush Todd and Grayson in this silly competition you invented.”

Tim smiled in spite of himself. “They don’t stand a chance.”

And they really didn’t. Sure, Jason and Dick were at a considerable disadvantage since they were having a serious conversation while collecting tickets, but what was important was that Damian and Tim crushed them.

When they met back up, Dick’s cheeks were wet, but he was beaming. “Hey Timmy! Guess we lost, huh?”

Damian held up the stuffed tiger with a smug smile that made him look almost like a kid. “Quite so.”

“Gremlin’s so tiny he probably stuck his arm in the machine to scam tickets,” Jason said, expression practically daring them to mention how red his eyes were.

Damian scowled, but refused to be put out by the insult. “I shall name this tiger Rajah.”

“You’ve seen _Aladdin_?” Tim asked in surprise.

“Yeah, I figured Disney movies were a good place to start making up his childhood,” Dick answered for him.

Damian sniffed. “They are not all as bad as I previously believed.”

“We’re watching _Brave_ next,” the oldest explained, glancing at Jason almost nervously, “if you guys want to join… ”

“That _does_ happen to be my favorite Disney movie,” Jason hedged. “And I _do_ need more Merida jokes to to taunt Roy with, so I guess I’ll come.”

_See?_ Tim thought to himself as Dick all but jumped for joy. _There’s hope for us yet._


End file.
